


All It Does Is Take

by TechnicolorVocab01



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, モブサイコ100 | Mob Psycho 100
Genre: Fullmetal Alchemist AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-09-25 10:29:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9815828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnicolorVocab01/pseuds/TechnicolorVocab01
Summary: Ritsu had been oddly subdued thus far, gazing at the complicated transmutation circle with a furrowed brow.“Do you see something wrong with it?” Mob asked. “I’ve triple checked all of my calculations, but I could have missed something.”Ritsu stayed silent for a moment, seeming to hesitate, before saying, “N-no. I was… just wondering about her soul. What do we have to offer that could possibly be equivalent?”To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. And on that day, they lost more than their fair share. Now the Kageyama Brothers are on a mission. A mission that might cost them everything they have left.





	1. What We Wanted, What We Got

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my very first story on this site! I just recently watched Mob Psycho 100 and fell completely in love, so I decided to write something that has been on my mind for a while. I'm very new at this, so don't be afraid to comment on anything you think I should fix or any ideas that you have, just please be nice!

Alchemy is the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. However, humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is the law of equivalent exchange. And back then, this was our only absolute truth.

oOo 

“Water 35 liters, carbon 20 kilograms, ammonia 4 liters, lime 1.5 kilograms, phosphorous 800 grams, salt 250 grams, saltpeter 100 grams, sulfur 80 grams, fluorine 7.5 grams, iron 5 grams, silicon 3 grams, and trace amounts fifteen other elements,” Mob’s soft voice rang out in the quiet basement, “That’s everything.”

Ritsu had been oddly subdued thus far, gazing at the complicated transmutation circle with a furrowed brow.

“Do you see something wrong with it?” Mob asked. “I’ve triple checked all of my calculations, but I could have missed something.” Mob trusted Ritsu enough to fix anything that Mob messed up. Ritsu was smart, and had a keener eye for the smaller details that Mob might have overlooked.

Ritsu stayed silent for a moment, seeming to hesitate, before saying, “N-no,” Mob tilted his head to the side, a bit worried. Ritsu didn’t usually stutter. “No. Your alchemy is as amazing as ever. I was… just wondering about her soul. What do we have to offer that could possibly be equivalent?” 

Oh. It seemed Mob was worrying for nothing again, as he normally did when it concerned Ritsu. The hesitancy was gone by the end of Ritsu’s statement, and he brought up a good point, as usual. His little brother was probably just a bit nervous, they were about attempt human transmutation, a taboo. Mob would be having second thoughts too, if he was with anyone other than Ritsu, the smartest person he knew, and if it was for anyone other than their mother.

“Oh, right.” Mob had almost forgotten about the soul data. “Well, since we got our blood from her’s, I figured a few drops would be enough. A fair trade.” He proceeded to pull out a small knife and prick his finger, not noticing Ritsu’s wince, and let some blood seep into the mixture of human ingredients he had rattled off earlier. It was a bit amusing to Mob, the fact that everything you needed to create a human body could be bought with a child’s allowance. Mob held out the knife to Ritsu. “Um, here. I mean, if you want to. I won’t make you, but-”

“It’s okay, Nii-san.” Was Ritsu’s natural response to reassure his brother. Mob wasn’t really known for his eloquence, but Ritsu was good at understanding, even when Mob couldn’t articulate properly. Ritsu took the knife and went through the same motions Mob had. “It’s only a papercut. We get those all the time.” He ended the statement with a small (strained) smile. 

Mob was uncomfortable with the fact that Ritsu had to get hurt, even if it was just a cut… but this was for their mother, and Ritsu was just as onboard with this plan as he was.

“Okay, then. I think we’re ready.” Mob kneeled on the stone floor and placed his hands on the outer rim of the circle. Ritsu stayed standing, once again gazing at the symbols and writings that they had spent years deciphering and understanding and learning to make. He then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and crouched down to join his brother. Mob figured Ritsu was excited to finally be reaping the benefits of their hard work, like he was.

The alchemic reaction started up, sending blue lightning shooting through the air and lighting up their faces. Mob’s heart started hammering with the excitement that he figured Ritsu must be feeling as well.

It was finally happening. After months of training and studying, he and his brother were finally going to do it. They were going to get their mom back, and he wouldn’t have to stand on his own anymore, or be strong for his little brother, because he was just so tired of being strong. He smiled widely, and - with alchemy in the air, his mother coming back, and his brother at his side - he felt nothing but pure ecstasy and happiness for a short, precarious moment. 

Then his joyful little bubble was shattered with the pain that began, radiating white-hot throughout his left leg. Mob screamed out, collapsing onto the cold, hard stone beneath him. He looked down to see ribbons of black attached to and dissolving his leg, leaving only a white imprint in it’s wake. The burning suddenly morphed into something icy cold that traveled all the way up his leg starting at his toes, stopping at mid-thigh, and leaving a numb nothingness in it’s wake.  
It was all Mob could do to think clearly enough to try to work out what exactly had gone wrong.

“I-it can’t be… a rebound?” 

“Nii-san! _Nii-san_!” All concern for the reasons behind their failed reaction and his own well-being were immediately removed from Mob’s mind as he looked up to see Ritsu in much the same situation as himself except on his entire body, little black hands attached to the ends of ribbon-like arms, spiraling up his arms and body and face, breaking Ritsu’s body apart in a manner that was much like a failed alchemic reaction, making his skin look like paper mache. He was being dragged up into something that Mob couldn’t seem to make out.

“Ritsu!”

“Nii-san, _please_!” Ritsu - calm Ritsu that always seemed to have a plan, that had a cool head in any situation - looked _scared_ , eyes wide and panicked and starting to fill with the beginning of tears. He reached out with the only hand he had left, and Mob - with energy he didn’t know he still had - reached out to Ritsu in turn.

“ _Nii-san_! Nii-san, _help_!” 

Ritsu’s arm was dissolving, all the way down to his fingertips.

“No! Ritsu!”

Mob was so close. _So close_ -

“ _Nii-san_!”

“ _RITSU_!”

Then there was a bright, white light, blinding Mob for a second, before it was gone, leaving behind darkness only tempered by one remaining light bulb. The other light had been snuffed out.

oOo 

When Mob opened his eyes, it was to a white landscape, seeming to stretch forever in every direction and yet, at the same time, could also be the size of his own small bedroom. A mind trick. And the only abnormalities in the flawless nothingness were himself and an odd humanoid figure that was sitting facing him.

“Ritsu? Wait, what was I doing?” Mob’s head was feeling oddly fuzzy. “What just…”

“Hello,” The dark figure spoke suddenly, voice sounding akin to static on a radio. Mob shivered slightly as he looked into the blank white eyes, because it looked like a shadow of himself, flickering in and out of existance like a flame on the wick of a candle. A candle that you couldn't blow out even if you wanted to. A candle that may seem harmless, but could burn an entire house down if left unattended.

Mob quickly swallowed back his fear. “Um, hello… how are you doing today?” He never did like small talk all that much - by the end of the conversation he usually felt like he messed up somehow - but he was willing to be polite. He just hoped he wouldn’t accidentally insult the... person. Mob seemed to do that a lot. “What’s your name?”

The being tilted its head, black hair floating around it as if in water. “You should learn to ask the right questions. I am here today because you played god. And failed. And now, you face the consequences. That is what I am doing today.”

Mob was confused.

“Hm… As for your second question, I am known by many names. I'm the World. I'm the Universe. I am God. I am Truth. I am all. I am one. And I am also... you.”  
The Truth pointed at Mob with one dark finger, and a gate that Mob hadn’t even realized was right behind him was opened with a resounding clang.

“You have dared to knock on the door. Now, the door is open.” Mob slowly turned around to face what his gate contained and was met with a single, wide-open eye, facing sideways to fill the entire length of the door that was at least three times Mob’s own height. And from the depths of the blackness behind it, tendrils of black shot out to grasp at his arms and body, dragging him towards the unknown from whence they came. Mob wondered what was beyond the gate. For once in his life, Mob decided he would rather remain ignorant.

The figure-Truth-stood, glancing down at its body and examining its hands. "Though, you are certainly an interesting case, aren't you?" 

Mob couldn't do anything but scream as the hands continued to drag him backward. 

Truth remained seemingly indifferent, but finally addressed Mob again, saying, "This may not be what you wanted, but it is what you asked for. Word your question better next time.”

Then the doors slammed shut, cutting off Mob’s screams. That’s when it suddenly felt like all of the world’s information was being poured into his brain all at once.  
“No! It’s too much! Please, it’s too much!” He saw everything. “Please, stop! Stop it!” He saw everything. And it wouldn’t stop, pushing his mind to the brink of shattering, because he was just human. He couldn’t handle this.

His brain felt like it was about to burst, the weight of millions of secrets and absolutes just about crushing him. That was the moment when, just for an instant, it all became clear. The Truth… of everything.

But then the gate was clanging back shut behind him and Mob was right back in front of Truth like nothing had happened. But something had happened, and Mob needed answers. So he started a conversation with a stranger, which was kind of new.

“I see now.” Mob stated. “My human transmutation theory wasn’t wrong. It was just missing something. But it can be done, and all the answers are right here. Can you please, maybe… show it to me again?”

The dark figure stood. “I’m afraid not. I’ve already shown you all that I can with the toll you paid.”

“Um… what do you mean by toll?”

“Still asking the wrong questions. Surely you know?” Mob’s eyes widened in horror, because he did know. That was the same moment that Mob’s world went sideways, and the last thing he heard was, “It is equivalent exchange, right, little alchemist?”

And suddenly Mob was looking at his basement’s stone ceiling, clutching at his thigh where his leg should have been. Mob couldn’t help but think about how stupid he had been, thinking that some blood could be equivalent to a human soul, because a soul was special, but blood was easy to get. Too easy. Evidence by the red liquid that endlessly flooded through his fingertips and onto the floor. He knew, distantly, that this was a bad thing that he should be worrying about, but all that he could feel was the cold spot next to him where his little brother should be.

“Ritsu?” But no one else was there. The only remains of Ritsu were his clothes on the ground beside him. For the first time ever, Mob was completely alone.

“ _Ritsu_.” Mob’s voice was choking up. “Ritsu, _please_ , where are you?” But Mob knew where Ritsu was. He wasn't here, because in Mob’s quest to get his mother back, he had crossed a line, a line into a territory that had cost him the only family he had left. 

No. _No_. Mob would not accept that. He knew what he needed to do.

But it hurt. It hurt like nothing he had ever felt before. But Mob didn’t stop until he had dragged himself over to the suit of armor in the corner, knocking it to the ground with a clang that made his ears ring and echo with something other than his own heartbeat. With shaking, bloody hands, Mob drew the most important transmutation circle he had ever and would ever make again on the inside of the armor, at the nape of the neck.

“No, please - Don’t take him too! _Damn it_ , he’s my brother! Take anything that you want, _anything_. Just _GIVE HIM BACK_!”

Mob took all of his pain and sorrow and determination and desperation and used it all in one single clap. The lights of the transmutation were different this time, rainbow-colored and seeming to created an aura around Mob the blood seal he had made, lifting his hair until it looked like it was floating underwater. This only lasted for a brief second, before the light was gone along with his right arm and his hair sat flat on his head again. Now all Mob could do was wait and hope that he wouldn’t have to be alone forever.


	2. When They Need Me

Ritsu couldn’t remember much of their father. He had left when they were really young, though Nii-san said that he was a good father while he was there. Nii-san always was too forgiving. All Ritsu could remember of the man was the back of his broad shoulders as he walked out of their lives. And someone that turned their back on _family_ was not someone Ritsu would ever consider a father.

But his mother never lost hope that her husband would come back to them, and Nii-san never lost hope that his father would care enough to return once he learned that their mother was sick. So they wrote to all the addresses that were on the return stamp of letters their father had sent them, explaining that his wife was sick (dying) and his kids needed him and he should come home _right away_. But he never showed. And when he realized that the man didn’t even care enough to come to his wife’s funeral, Ritsu decided that he didn’t have a father and he would _never_ turn away when his family needed him.

Then, after their mother had wasted away waiting for the man that never came, Ritsu only had his brother. And when his brother said that their was a way to bring her back - to cheat death and commit a taboo among alchemists, human transmutation - Ritsu agreed. Because his family needed him.

oOo 

It wasn’t until Ritsu was there, right in front of the transmutation circle that could bring their mother back, that he admitted to himself that something didn’t feel right.

“Do you see something wrong with it? I’ve triple checked all of my calculations, but I could have missed something.” It seemed Nii-san had noticed his troubled look. Ritsu must appear really nervous if his well-meaning-but-slightly-oblivious older brother had noticed something was up with him.

And while Ritsu was not one to ignore gut feelings, he had also spent years with Nii-san checking over every calculation and theorem, and he trusted his own and his brother’s skills enough to do this transmutation right. He had nothing to be afraid of. This would work.

“N-no,” Ritsu hoped Nii-san hadn’t noticed the stutter. “No. Your alchemy is as amazing as ever. I was… just wondering about her soul. What do we have to offer that could possibly be equivalent?”

Shigeo seemed satisfied with his answer, his slightly worried look transforming into something more excited. Ritsu almost wished his brother would push the issue.

“Oh, right.” It seemed Nii-san had almost forgotten about the soul. Well, that was okay, because reminding his brother of the little things that might have slipped his mind while he worried about the big picture was practically Ritsu’s job. “Well, since we got our blood from her’s, I figured a few drops would be enough. A fair trade.”

Ritsu’s brother pulled out a small knife and cut his finger with it. Ritsu couldn’t help but flinch at how readily Shigeo hurt himself for what he thought was a worthy cause. It might have been a small thing now, but Ritsu would have to keep an eye on that. It might manifest into something bigger - and more harmful - later.

But even though Nii-san was perfectly fine hurting himself, he seemed extremely uncomfortable with the fact that Ritsu had to do the same. Ritsu was just as willing to sacrifice as his older brother, so he reassured Shigeo with, “It’s okay, Nii-san. It’s only a papercut. We get those all the time.”

Ritsu forced a smile, and Nii-san smiled back, and Ritsu couldn’t help being slightly disappointed at the fact that his brother didn’t notice anything wrong.

Then, once the time actually came to place his hands on the circle and perform the transmutation, something made him hesitate again. _Something wasn’t right_. Maybe… maybe he should tell Nii-san. Nii-san always listened to what Ritsu - or anyone else - had to say, it was something Ritsu admired most about him. Ritsu could tell him and they could take a few days to make sure… But no, he was with his older brother, the most talented alchemist he had ever met, and they were doing this for their mother. This would work. It would work now or never.

So Ritsu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed the feeling of wrongness to the very back of his mind. Because this _would work_.

But then there was alchemy sparking through the air and the bad feeling increased tenfold just before Nii-san started _screaming_ from where he was crouched down beside him. Ritsu only had time to be worried about his brother for a moment before he started feeling a pain like he had never felt before and he lifted his hand only to see that it _wasn’t there_. It was already completely dissolved by the same things that were beginning to drag him towards… something.

He was screaming for his brother, reaching out for him, because he couldn’t feel anything anymore, and the image of Nii-san reaching out for him was slowly eaten away before their was nothing but white left.

And that image of his brother was the last thing Ritsu remembered before waking up. Well, if Ritsu could even call it “waking up”, because, for him, abruptly awakening from sleep was usually accompanied by a dazed feeling for a few seconds, followed by a slow accounting of all of your senses, like how soft what he was lying on was or the smell of what his mother was making for breakfast. But Ritsu was _completely_ alert the moment he was able to “see” again, the feeling more like "turning on" than “waking up”, which should have worried Ritsu more than it did. But it didn’t, because at that moment, all he could think about was the fact that he could only use a total of _two_ senses - sight and hearing - and that the other _three_ that were supposed to be there were mysteriously absent. He couldn’t feel the surface beneath him, he couldn’t smell the alchemy in the air, he couldn’t - maybe didn’t have to? - _breathe_. There was just… nothing.

Ritsu was stricken with a complete, mind-numbing _panic_ of the likes he had never experienced before. The fear was oddly comforting, because at least he could still feel _emotions_ , which was something. At least he knew he was still human in that aspect. But even that only lasted for a second before he heard a voice right in front of him whisper out, “Ritsu?”

The panic wasn’t entirely replaced, but it was pushed aside slightly in favor of an overwhelming concern (and fear) for his brother that felt like an undertow he could drown in. Because Nii-san was crying and holding onto his shoulder where his arm was supposed to be and this was _not good_ because Ritsu had read enough books on human anatomy to know that an 11 year old boy was not supposed to be losing that much blood.

“Nii-san! What… what happened to you… and me? What is this?” Ritsu forced his arms to reach out to his older brother, who he realized was missing a _leg_ too, and… Ritsu took a little too long to realize that those metal gauntlets outstretched towards his (little) big brother were _his own arms_. Ritsu’s brain helpfully supplied that he was probably in shock, but _Ritsu_ wasn’t the one bleeding too much (way too much), so he put his brain on the more helpful task of figuring out where he could take his brother to get him taken care of.

“I’m sorry… there wasn’t much time… I used my arm as material in a transmutation… but all I could manage was attaching your soul to the suit of armor in the corner…” Ritsu remembered the armor, almost 7 feet tall and always looming over their shoulders as they studied. They had jokingly called it their mother’s spy, because it always seemed to be watching and judging them, like she would. Wait-

“What… about mom?” After seeing what his brother had sacrificed, Ritsu thought the transmutation must have worked. And that meant mom was back and would know what to do. She always did.

“No… you shouldn’t look… what we made… it wasn’t human…”

And the monstrosity in the middle of the transmutation circle was definitely not human. It was ugly and grotesque, with a single arm outstretched like a scraggly tree branch and bones and blood on the outside that should have been inside. Ritsu took a moment to feel a crippling sense of guilt for the fact that they had made such an abomination. But it was also obviously dead, and Ritsu decided that his big brother was the priority right now over getting answers on why their alchemy didn’t work.

But as Ritsu got up to move his brother - he wouldn’t last a long trip, so the neighbors might be their only hope - and saw (not felt, he wouldn’t feel again for a long time) that Nii-san’s body could now fit in his own huge, new hands, and all that he could think to himself was _he’s so small_.

Then, as Ritsu looked around the basement one last time - the haze that his shock had cast over his mind receding slightly - all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly came together with the force of tectonic plates colliding, collapsing Ritsu’s world, because he realized - with his tiny big brother bleeding out in his unfeeling arms, the horrible thing that they had created dead in front of him, and the gap in his memories where something important should be - that in keeping his mouth shut, he had made a huge mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you like it? While I was writing this chapter I was trying to get into Ritsu's head, but he's a hard guy to pin down. Just tell me if you think I should fix something! Next chapter be ready for some Reigen time!


	3. Dull, But Not Lifeless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, and guess what time it is! Reigen Time! He was really fun to write, but feel free to tell me if you feel I got something wrong. Up next is back to Mob POV, so be ready for suffering!

Lieutenant Colonel Reigen Arataka leveled a horrified stare at the sight in front of him. A transmutation circle of the likes that he had only ever seen in books. A human transmutation circle. And there was blood in the middle of it. The Kageyama brothers had attempted _human transmutation_ , a taboo. Reigen was almost blinded by the all-consuming anger that had suddenly devoured him, which was a bit of a surprise, because rage wasn’t usually such a prominent resident in his personality. Reigen preferred emotions that were _healthy motivators_. Like determination. And all-consuming panic.

Also surprising, it appeared that the pair of brothers had lived, judging by the blood trail leading up the stairs and out the front door, and it was all Reigen could do to follow it without… without… punching a tree or something, just to let his rage out somehow. But in this backwater little town, there was only grass and livestock for miles around, any trees cleared away for farming space. So if he had to assault anything, it would have to be a cow or a farmer, neither of which were preferable options. Reigen liked his face as it was, _thank you very much_.

The Lieutenant Colonel came back to himself with a start as he realized that he had stopped walking and was currently glaring at the cows chewing grass over on the next hill. No, bad idea, just keep walking, look like you belong here, find the Kageyama's, get answers. That’s what you’re here to do. He cleared his head with a truly cinematic head shake - just in case anyone was around to see - and pointedly continued down the path he had been on earlier as if he had never stopped.

The relatively sparse blood trail led to quaint yellow house with a sign out front that advertised that the place was an automail outfitter. Knocking, Reigen simmered on the porch, a foot tapping impatiently and fingers drumming an irregular beat on the doorframe he was currently leaning against. He couldn’t even- human transmutation was _forbidden_ for a reason, damn it! Now it seemed that the Kageyama’s had paid the price for ignoring the big, blaring, TABOO THIS IS FORBIDDEN DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME warning on that particular brand of alchemy, though he didn’t know exactly what they had given up yet. The door was unlocked and the knob turned slightly, so Reigen shoved the it open the rest of the way. He knew that forcing himself into someone else’s home was rude at best and illegal at worst, but he needed answers, and he saw them sitting in a chair in front of a huge suit of armor.

Reigen probably should have been more curious about _that_ little anomaly, but he had a bit of a one track mind at the best of times. So when he was emotional, like he was now, that single track sort of expands to fill up his whole mindspace until he could only focus on one thing. Which just so happened to be the boy in the chair.

Without conscience thought, Reigen grabbed the front of the kid’s shirt, lifting him to eye level. “I went your house. I saw the floor. What was that? What did you do?!”

~0%~ 

The black-haired boy just leveled his empty gaze ahead, looking right through Reigen and focusing on something the Lieutenant Colonel couldn’t see. The suit of armor behind the wheelchair started shaking, rattling in a startlingly hollow way, and Reigen dropped the front of the kid’s shirt like it had burned him.

“Wait a second, are you…?” Reigen took a step back, finally forcing himself to _look_ at the Kageyama brothers without a haze of anger blinding him. The boy in the chair - no, a wheelchair he now realized - was _missing_ an arm and leg, and Reigen first punched himself mentally for manhandling an injured kid, then put together the fact that this little kid, no more than 12 years old, had attempted human transmutation, and _survived_. And he must have also been the older brother, Shigeo, because the reports that he read about the elder Kageyama stated that the boy’s most prominent feature was the same bowl-shaped haircut the kid in the wheelchair was currently sporting.

Going on that line of thinking, Reigen realized that the suit of armor - still shaking with repressed emotion - was a kid, too. It must be the other Kageyama brother, Ritsu. Reigen wondered what the poor kid had given up that had made him ashamed enough to wear armor to cover it.

But… the reports also said that Ritsu Kageyama was only about four feet six inches. This armored figure was _easily_ around 7 feet tall, with broad shoulders and a metal helmet that was around the size of one of those overgrown pumpkins Reigen had saw on his angry little stride through the countryside. A metal helmet with bright red glowing eyelights that had way too much emotion in them to just be a last-minute design addition to the armor.

Reigen imagined that his face while looking at Ritsu was much like the one he had worn while gazing at the transmutation circle in the Kageyama basement. Horrified, shocked, and just piecing together that a forbidden form of alchemy that he had only ever read in _books_ had just been done in real life.

Ritsu was in the armor, in a sense. Just not his body. So, not only was the elder Kageyama skilled enough in alchemy to attempt human transmutation, he was also advanced enough to bond a soul to a suit of armor.

And all pieces of the puzzle came together when he remembered that those helpful reports had also mentioned that the Kageyamas had been _orphaned_ at a young age. Reigen was thunderstruck with the realization that these were _just children_ , left alone to their devices without an adult figure looking after them, and with such a powerful - and _destructive_ \- force such as alchemy at their fingertips, _of course_ they had gotten into trouble.

And now, they were all alone, with a problem that they didn’t know how to fix and no adult guidance there to help them solve it. Reigen couldn’t, in good conscience, let this continue. These boys needed a way to get their bodies back and they needed an adult that they rely on. And Reigen could give them both.

oOo 

“Ohhhh… this is a… _surprise_ to say the least.” Reigen had remained standing, neglecting sitting at the table in favor of being able to pace and gesture when needed, because he had a lot of energy to let out in the aftermath of his abruptly ended temper tantrum. He wandered over to the window, looking out at the pastures.

“Don’t worry, it’s a good”-good, sad, terrifying, horrible, what may have you-”surprise. I came to check out a report that said there was a _brilliant_ alchemist living in this town.” The word ‘brilliant’ would have been accompanied by a grand gesture towards Shigeo in his wheelchair, if Reigen was brave enough to look at him. As it was, he just sort of waved his hands towards thin air, still facing the window, because that was more bearable than seeing the nothingness in those eyes again. 

“And let me tell you, the last thing I expected to find was a boy skilled enough to attempt human transmutation and live to tell the tale.” Reigen had finally turned away from the glass. The Kageyama’s gave no response to the flattery, only silence left in the wake of the Lieutenant Colonel's sentence. But Reigen was used to carrying a conversation, so he covered the slightly unnerving quietness with an overdramatic twirl into the seat he had neglected at the beginning of the talk, because when he proposed what he had in mind, he would look them in the eyes. Or eyeholes. He covered the lower part of his face with folded hands and gave the boys in front of him a serious look.

“I'd say you’re more than qualified to become a State Alchemist,” Reigen swung his own military issued pocketwatch out of his coat in a flash and dangled it from its chain. The silver sparkled in the sunlight of the window he had been contemplating at earlier. “If you decide to accept this position, you would be required to serve the military in time of national emergency. But, in return, you’ll receive privileges and access to otherwise restricted research materials. Given time, it is entirely possible that you will find a way to get your bodies back. Or even more.”

The big little brother, Ritsu, suddenly slammed a giant metal hand on the table. “I can’t believe this. Don’t you get it? _Alchemy_ did this to my brother and I, _alchemy_ created that-that _thing_ in our basement, _alchemy_ nearly killed us. And you want us to throw ourselves back into it? You want us to see hell again?”

The lieutenant colonel was startled by the sudden display of emotion and the incredibly childlike voice coming from such a hulking figure, but he kept his face carefully blank. He supposed that with all the shaking and the weird impression he got that a suit of armor was _glaring_ at him - even without an actual face, Reigen wondered what his secret was - an outburst was inevitable. Reigen looked into Ritsu’s burning red eyeholes, then looked into Mob’s dull, lifeless ones. They needed this, Reigen knew, but it was still their choice.

“I’m not going to force you, I'm merely offering you the possibility. The possibility of change, to better yourself and help other people, including each other. But the only way to do this is to stand up and seize the chance the military can give you,” Reigen stood and faced them once again and adopted what he hoped was an inspiring pose. “Keep moving forward, seek out the answers you need. Become a better person and keep your eyes on your goal, whatever it takes.”

By the end of his visit, as Reigen was sauntering his way down the path back to the train station, he knew that he would be seeing the Kageyama brothers again. Because when he looked Mob in the eyes on his way out, they were still dull, sure, but they weren’t lifeless. Not anymore. There was a sense of purpose in those eyes.

~25%~


	4. Lackluster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short wait, but here's the new chapter! Enjoy!

When Mob slowly blinked awake from sleep, he felt dazed for a few moments, before slowly accounting for all his senses. He was on a soft bed, the covers pulled up to his shoulders, and he assumed that it was around mid-day, judging by the sunlight currently streaming through his window. Mob lay there for a moment more, debating whether or not getting up was worth the effort. Ritsu and Mom had always been early risers, but a Mob in bed tended to stay in bed until a great enough force acted upon him. Like the need for food. And the fact that he usually helped Mom out with lunch (Ritsu helped with breakfast, it was better for everyone that way). He also couldn’t wait to reveal to Mom what he and Ritsu had made for her with alchemy. Mob couldn’t quite remember what it was… but he knew he was ecstatic to show her.

So Mob rolled over, sitting on the edge of the bedside… and suddenly lost his balance, falling to the floor. His body spazzed frantically and he went to catch himself… but nothing responded to stop his momentum towards the ground. Mob ended up landing hard on his right side and a searing pain ripped through his shoulder from where it had impacted with the ground. Just his shoulder. Nothing else.

The thump his body had made when it had hit the wooden floor seemed to have attracted the attention of someone in the house, judging by the footsteps he could hear stomping up the stairs, heading to the room he was in. But that was about as far to the back of Mob’s mind as he could get it.

“Wh-what just…?” Mob panicked, using his left arm to prop himself up and try to get to his feet, but he didn’t have the strength to go all the way. He only managed to flip himself onto his back and sit up enough to look at the lower part of his body. He blinked once. Then again. But he still only saw half the number of legs that he should have. He slowly shifted his eyes to look at his right arm, but only saw a bandage, red now slowly spreading from the center of it. No arm to be seen.

… His mother was not waiting for him downstairs to start lunch. His brother would not be looking at him with an excited smile, ready to start their alchemy for the day. Because she was gone and Ritsu was… was…

“Oh,” Mob’s heartbeat echoed in his ears and there was a brief spark of an aura outlining his form, like a computer glitching out. Then all of what was left of his body drooped like a wilted flower, and he felt nothing at all.

~0%~ 

There was a knock at the door and Tome went to open it, muttering about stupid do-gooders who were unwanted and unneeded and _obviously_ wanted nothing more than to ruin her day. Good ol’ Tome. Tsubomi was the one who generally handled the well-meaning neighbors who wanted to try and help by talking about how sorry they were this happened, and if they needed anything they could come to them. Mob didn’t understand why they were sorry for him. This was his fault after all.

But at the moment, Tsubomi was banging around in the kitchen, making lunch. Mob couldn’t help but think about how amazing she was, a great cook and a prodigious automail mechanic (and so beautiful). But also so happy, and optimistic. She had lost her parents when she was little, but she was okay, because Tome took her in, and cared for her, and now they run the automail shop Tsubomi’s parents left behind. Mob wished he could move on like she did. He wished he could be strong and resilient, and oh so very kind, like she was.

...But he lost his chance. He was forever marked, _Ritsu_ was forever marked, all because of the irreversible sin he had committed. There was no redeeming himself. There was just this. Sitting, regretful and sad and oh so very _b r o k e n_ until-

_BANG!_

Then the door was then slammed the rest of the way open from the outside while Tome gave the highest pitched shriek he had ever heard from her and a loud crashing sound came from the kitchen, a man with reddish-orange hair and dark eyes shoving his way through and giving the room a quick once over before focusing on Mob in his wheelchair.

Mob might have had a chance to feel a bit more uncomfortable (Mob had felt a bit uncomfortable with the fact that Ritsu had to be hurt-no, now is not the time) with that if in the next second the man wasn’t crossing the room in four quick strides and grabbing the front of his shirt to lift him to eye level.

“I went your house. I saw the floor. What was that? What did you do?!” There was a fire burning in the man’s livid eyes and Mob quickly looked away. Those eyes reminded him too much of Ritsu’s when he was feeling particularly passionate about something. Speaking of, Mob could hear Ritsu rattling from behind him. Mob wondered if there was a malfunction in the armor that his little brother hadn’t told him about.

Mob’s shirt was abruptly released, plopping him back into his wheelchair. “Wait a second, are you…?” The man’s fire seemed to have been temporarily put out, judging by the decidedly cool stare that was directed at them for a good ten seconds before the guy seemed to make a decision with a decisive nod of his head.

The man’s _right_ hand suddenly starting making erratic circling motions before jabbing a dramatic thumb back towards his chest. “I am Lieutenant Colonel Reigen Arataka! But you can call me Reigen. I’m here to give you a proposition. But first, I need to know why _exactly_ there was a human transmutation circle in the basement of your house.”

oOo 

“Ohhhh… this is a… _surprise_ to say the least. Don’t worry, it’s a good surprise.”

Mob was (already) a bit lost. Since when was hearing a story about two kids losing their mom, then committing a taboo to try and get her back and losing some very important things in the process a good surprise.

“I came to check out a report that said there was a brilliant alchemist living in this town.” Brilliant, huh? That’s weird. When Mob thought of something “brilliant” be thought of something big and bright. A light that could eliminate the gloom from the blackest of nights and give people something to hope (a clap, a colorful aura, the feeling of being completely alone-no, not now) for even in the darkest of times. Mob wasn’t brilliant. He was lackluster. Boring. Flat. His light had faded, and now all that was left for him was-

Ritsu slammed a huge metal hand onto the table in front of them, cutting off Mob’s thoughts. “I can’t believe this. Don’t you get it? _Alchemy_ did this to my brother and I, _alchemy_ created that-that thing in our basement, _alchemy_ nearly killed us. And you want us to throw ourselves back into it? You want us to see hell _again_?”

Oh. It seemed Mob had missed something. Probably important things, because Ritsu didn’t usually get so worked up. He turned his mind pointedly back to the conversation at hand.

“I’m not going to force you, I'm merely offering you the possibility. The possibility of change, to better yourself and help other people, including each other. But the only way to do this is to stand up and seize the chance the military can give you,” Oh. So Lieutenant Colonel Reigen was offering them a place in the military. That explained a few things. The man had also stood, and was now facing them with a hand on his hip and finger pointed towards Mob. “Keep moving forward, seek out the answers you need. Become a better person and keep your eyes on your goal, whatever it takes,” The sunlight was streaming in through the windows, shimmering around Reigen’s form and casting his shadow over Mob, and Mob suddenly couldn’t help but think that even though his own light was dim, Reigen’s could probably illuminate an entire city with it’s intensity. He was brilliant.

Because Reigen said that there was a chance that Mob could fix this. There was a chance that he could get Ritsu his body back. There was a chance that he could right the wrongs he had done. There was a chance he could become a _better person_. And Mob decided that a chance was all he needed.

~25%~ 

“Are you sure you won’t regret this, Mob?” Tome asked him. “The surgery alone can take _days_ , not to mention the rehabilitation, which will take around three _years_.” She crossed her arms and looked to be studying his expression before stating frustratingly, “Are you getting all this?! It won’t be easy, so quit acting so… indifferent!”

The nineteen year old girl seemed nervous enough for the both of them, though she was trying to hide it behind gruff words and vague expressions. Even Mob could see that much from the sweat lining her brow and the fact that he had known her practically his entire life.

“I’m sorry, Tome. I know this will be difficult… but this is for Ritsu. We have… things we need to do. And I need your automail to help me do it. Please,” Tome seemed exasperated, but also resigned by the end of his statement (he seemed to have that effect on people a lot of the time). Ritsu, who had been looming at his bedside, was shaking again, rattling his armor.

Tsubomi’s melodious voice joined in, sounding determined. “Well, since you’re sure, I will do everything in my power to help you,” Her voice then took on a teasing tone. “While you wear my automail, you’re stuck with me.”

Mob quickly shifted his eyes away from her, not answering. The last thing he wanted was for her to be stuck with him. He had already hurt her. He saw the way she gazed sadly out the window and had a frown on her face more often than not these days. He heard the nights she spent up and about in the room beside his. And now he was asking her to make him automail, and because she was a good and responsible mechanic and wanted to make sure that all automail she made was the best she could, she would waste her time on him. Mob decided the best course of action was for him to be sure that he gave her space. So, he just nodded to her before turning to his brother.

“Don’t worry, Ritsu. Just a little longer. I’ll get your body back.” Yes. Just a little while. And three years was too long. One year, then. Mob didn’t voice his thoughts aloud. It might make everyone upset.

Ritsu nodded. “Right, and yours too, Nii-san."

Mob didn’t notice the slight slumping of Tsubomi’s shoulders as she and Tome shared a mutually confused look.

~31%~ 

One year later, Mob was sparring Ritsu on the riverside, and losing, but that was okay. Ritsu always was the better fighter. And while Mob also put everything he had into learning everything his teacher taught him, hand-to-hand combat just didn’t come very naturally. His hand-eye coordination was lacking and he tended to be pretty clumsy more often than not. His fighting prowess was just generally very inconsistent.

Mob was doing better this time around, blocking Ritsu’s punch with an automail arm and kicking out an automail foot in an arc towards his little brother’s steel head. It didn’t work, of course, all Ritsu had to do was jump back a bit to dodge it. And as Mob went to step after him to continue the fight, he tripped over a rock and face planted into the dirt. A pretty typical ending to a Kageyama sparring match.

“Well done, Nii-san! You did a lot better that time.” Mob could almost see Ritsu’s encouraging smile. But only almost. “Seems like your automail is in good shape.”

The last sentence was said in an incredulous tone. Mob wondered why. He didn’t ask. He just nodded and said, “Mm. I think I’m ready to try for the state alchemist exam.”

Ritsu’s armor stood stark still for a moment, looking just like it used to before, in the corner of their basement when it had no soul in it and was only known as their mother’s spy and not his little brother. “I suppose… you should try some alchemy really quick.” Ritsu did not sound happy at the idea. “Just to make sure you’re _completely_ ready. It’s been awhile since the last time you used it.”

A good point, as usual. Mob simply nodded and instinctively brought his hands - one flesh and one metal - together into a clap. The familiar blue lightning of alchemy fizzled through the air and Mob placed both of his hands on the ground, transmuting some of the dirt into a little cat figurine.

Mob gave a satisfied nod as he took the model from the ground and placed the it into Ritsu’s unmoving (disbelieving) hand. “Here. You can have it.”

“Nii-san!”

“Yes? Sorry… do you want something else instead?”

Ritsu was holding the tiny cat up to his face to get a better look. “What? No, Nii-san, that’s _amazing_. You did alchemy without using a transmutation circle!”

“Well, yes. You can do it too, right?”

“Me? No.”

Mob gave Ritsu a searching look. So… Ritsu hadn’t seen it. The Truth. That was odd, because it was obvious to Mob that Ritsu a paid the heavier price than he did. I’ve already shown you all that I can with the toll you paid… this seemed a bit unfair. Mob would have to look into it more.

But for now, Mob only said, “Well… I think I’m ready.”

oOo 

Mob knew that even though he and Ritsu were trying to restore their own bodies, it was still human transmutation they were after, a forbidden science. If they failed the next time, there would probably be nothing left of them. But they knew there was no turning back. So, on the day they left, they burned down the family home, and all the familiar things inside. Because some memories aren't meant to leave traces.

~36%~


	5. Soft Words, Hard Edges

Reigen had been in constant contact with the Kageyama brothers since the day he had given them his proposition. Well, maybe he shouldn’t call it _constant_. Shigeo had called him once after his automail surgery to tell him that he was determined to finish rehabilitation in one year, which was crazy, so Reigen told himself that he would be ready to welcome the kid in three. Reigen got a call the next year telling him that Shigeo was ready to try for the state alchemist exam. He should really stop trying to predict what that kid could do, he was going to end up embarrassing himself.

So Reigen got them two tickets on a train leaving for central the day before the exam and scheduled a car to pick them up when they got to Central and bring them to his office. Neither of the brothers had been particularly well during their last encounter, and Reigen wanted to see who they _really_ were without the pesky side effects of recent trauma hindering their personalities and/or actions.

And when he finally saw them again after a year of waiting it was certainly… unexpected. Not Ritsu, he hadn’t changed at all, obviously. Still a suit of armor, but hopefully that little issue would be resolved, you know. Eventually. It was Shigeo that was the surprise. The most prominent change being the fact that he was walking towards him on two legs, and lifting up his right hand, which was covered with a white glove, up in a sort of clumsy, self-conscious wave.

“Um, hello. It is good to see you again, Lieutenant Colonel,” Huh. He had never heard the kid’s voice before. It was soft and kind of flat, but it held a genuine sort of happiness at seeing Reigen again, and the Lieutenant Colonel felt his heart melt a little.

“Yes, I am happy to see you as well,” Reigen stood from the desk that he had been sitting behind and walked up to shake Shigeo’s hand. “It is an honor to have you taking the State Alchemist exam under my recommendation.” The kid just sort of stared at his _right_ hand for a moment before slowly shaking it with his _left_ hand, making it a sort of awkward backwards handshake. Reigen smacked himself mentally for forgetting that greeting an amputee with a handshake was a bad idea, then quickly pretended that said handshake had never happened.

He gave a dramatic 180° twirl away from the boys and sauntered back to lean on his desk. “I will have a car pick you up tomorrow to bring you to where the examination will be taking place. For now I’ve booked you an inn to stay at for the night,” Ritsu had been a silent shadow to his older brother, which was quite the feat considering he was twice his height, but now stepped forward so Shigeo was behind him.

“You know, you’ve been awfully nice so far, _lieutenant_. What’s the catch?” Even though the voice in the armor was tinny and child-like, it still had a sharp edge to it, and Ritsu had a good foot on Reigen heightwise, so he considered his next words carefully.

“I’m a lieutenant _colonel_ , kid. And I know that alchemists are obsessed with equivalent exchange and all that, but there’s no catch here,” He looked Ritsu firmly in the eyeholes. “You need help finding a way to get your bodies back and I can give it to you. Be a bit grateful.” Okay, maybe not carefully enough, damn, how do you talk to kids this age again? Ritsu seemed ready to slam Reigen’s face into the wall, and Reigen knew he had probably gone a bit far, but something about Ritsu in particular grated on his nerves. The feeling was obviously mutual.

But before Ritsu could make any move to assault a relatively high-ranking military officer, his older brother spoke up from behind him. “Please, Ritsu. The lieutenant colonel has only helped us this far. We talked about this,” The last sentence spoken didn’t specifically mean anything to Reigen, but Ritsu seemed to slump a bit, and Shigeo came to face Reigen. “Thank you very much for this opportunity, sir. I’ll try not to disappoint you.”

Reigen rubbed a hand through his hair and chuckled a bit. “It’s just Reigen, kid. And I have a feeling you’ll do just fine.”

oOo 

Reigen looked down proudly at the little black-haired kid currently lined up in between two men at least twice his size and looking bored as can be. Reigen wasn’t worried, the kid had already passed the written test with flying colors and proved himself very not crazy in the psychological evaluation. The only thing left to do was the practical examination to prove that Shigeo’s skills could be used in real world situations. Okay, Reigen might be a little worried about this particular test, given that he had never actually seen Shigeo do any alchemy. Maybe he could have thought this through a little better. Then the goddamn _Fuhrer_ walks into the room and addresses Shigeo _specifically_ and Reigen let himself panic just a little.

“Ah, is that a steel prosthetic?” While Reigen thought that Shigeo would probably disappear into any crowd, when he was lined up with grown men with his automail showing, it was kind of hard not to notice him.

“Oh, yes. It happened during the Eastern Conflict,” It was a good cover story, Reigen couldn’t be prouder.

“I see. So you had a rough time with it in Ishval, huh?”

“Um… who are you?” Reigen choked on air and tried to stifle his laughter, because it was _really not the time_ , but then the Fuhrer was laughing, so he figured it was okay to let out a little chuckle.

“You’re bold,” Reigen was pretty sure the Fuhrer had mixed up boldness with having no social skills whatsoever. “You may proceed with the examination.”

“Do you need something to draw transmutation circles with?” That was one of the soldiers next to the kid, but Shigeo simply shook his head. He was crazy. How could he do a practical examination on his alchemy if he didn’t even have a transmutation circle?

But then, two hands came together in a clap that started producing blue alchemic lightning, much to the surprise of literally everyone in the room, including Reigen himself. The kid slammed both hands onto the ground in a decidedly flashy move that had his not-quite-as-ridiculous-anymore red coat fanning out at his legs and had alchemy sparking in his not-quite-as-dull-anymore eyes.

From the floor started raising a wooden pole with intricate golden designs on both ends. As the transmutation finished, the kid grabbed the staff and gave it a few very professional looking twirls that could probably knock a man three times the kid’s size flat on his ass before planting one end of it firmly into the ground with an automail hand. His face had gone hard and his eyes looked determined. Like a completely different person. Someone who had been told that his life was over and said _no_. Someone that would do anything to achieve his goal. But then the moment ended and Shigeo was right back to the boring looking kid with a soft voice. “Was… that good?”

“He didn’t even use a transmutation circle…” Reigen hadn’t realized that he had spoken out loud.

The Fuhrer didn’t even look all that surprised. “My, that is quite something, isn’t it?” He started walking away, waving a hand in goodbye. “I wish you the best of luck in the future, young man.”

oOo 

After Reigen got the results back from the State Alchemist Exam he was completely unsurprised to see that Shigeo had passed, and called the Kageyamas into his office to give them the news. “The silver pocket watch will serve as proof of your State certification. This envelope contains your certificate of appointment.”

Shigeo took the certificate and started reading, "By order of Touichirou Suzuki, this document certifies that Shigeo Kageyama has been appointed to the post of State Alchemist, and that he is hereby granted the title of ‘Fullmetal’.” The kid cocked his head to the side looking confused. “Fullmetal?”

“Yup. Along with their commission, State Alchemists also receive a code name. Officially, Shigeo, you’ll now be known as: The Fullmetal Alchemist.”

“Oh, that’s neat.” The kid seemed to remember something. “And if you don’t mind… Shigeo is what my family calls me. You can call me Mob."

“Well, since you’re now officially my subordinate, I should be calling you Fullmetal.”

Mob seemed disappointed for some reason. “Oh… that’s fine.”

… That is not even fair. Shigeo didn’t have an _expression_ , really, because he still wore that eternal deadpan, but he did give off this _aura_ of dejectedness, and how could Reigen possibly say anything except, “But, if you want I can make an exception… Mob.”

The kid’s eyes sparkled for a moment before he determinedly said, “I made something for you,” And holding up an alchemically made cat figurine, putting it into Reigen’s hand. “As thanks. If… if you want it.”

Reigen didn’t say anything in response, just turning back to his desk and pointedly set the little model right where anyone could see it. He had a feeling actions spoke louder than words with this kid.

“You go on ahead, Nii-san. I need to speak with the lieutenant for a minute.” Shig - no - Mob seemed reluctant to leave his brother alone with Reigen, though for whose sake exactly Reigen wasn’t sure. But he left with a quiet, “Okay,” and Reigen was left alone with a homicidal suit of armor that seemed to have it out for him specifically, and Reigen started looking for possible exits.

“You might have my brother buying your little “good samaritan” act, but I think we both know you're lying to him,” Ritsu’s voice was hard and Reigen knew he couldn’t con his way out of this one without making things worse. “And let me tell you, if you do anything to hurt him-”

“Okay, kid, you got me, I haven’t been telling the whole truth. I’m not only doing this out of the goodness of my heart.” Ritsu tensed up and crossed his metal arms, looming a bit more, and Reigen hurried to continue. “Having an alchemical prodigy like your brother under my wing… an opportunity for a promotion won’t be far behind.” This next part pained him to say, but Reigen’s voice was as smooth as ever as he stated, “And I can’t promise that your brother won’t get hurt.”

“So that’s all he is to you? Just another stepping stone towards your own selfish goal?” Ritsu’s voice and armor were both shaking with anger and Reigen knew he had to calm him down before the kid did something he would regret. Reigen knew what it was like to lose yourself in your anger. The outcome was never pretty.

“Look, I can’t tell you that military life is all sunshine and happiness, but I can promise that I will do anything in my power to help you get your bodies back.” Reigen wasn’t lying. He would never lie about something as important as he knew the Kageyama’s goal was. Even he had lines he didn’t cross, though they were admittedly a bit further into a territory that others usually wouldn’t cross. “You get to fix your mistakes, and I get a promotion. It’s all equivalent exchange, right?”

Ritsu stood stock still for a moment, and his _eye lights went out_ as he seemed to weigh Reigen’s words on a mental scale. His gauntleted fists clenched from where his arms were still crossed before Ritsu said, in his little kid voice that sounded way too old, “Nii-san looks up to you… so I won’t tell him if you won’t.”

Reigen smirked a bit, then nodded, holding out a hand, “It’s a deal, then.”

He jumped when Ritsu stepped forward with a clang, stabbing a finger at Reigen’s chest. “ _No_. I’m not done yet.” Reigen was frozen where he stood, hand still held out, with only one thought going through his head.

‘ _I miscalculated_.’

Because Ritsu was here for more than just pretty words for his big brother. “I know that being a State Alchemist won’t be easy for him. I know that he might not get out of it unscathed. I know he will most likely get hurt.” How could Reigen have been so _stupid_? Ritsu wasn’t only here for Mob. “And whenever it does inevitably happen, I _know_ I will blame you. So I’m planning ahead right now in telling you that it’s your fault. And I will never forgive you for this.”

At the end of the day, Ritsu needed some retribution for himself, too. And no matter how much Mob loved his brother, he would never be capable of doing something like this, confronting someone and threatening them and hurting them, for Ritsu’s sake. And Ritsu knew that, so he did it himself; took it _upon_ himself to do what Mob couldn’t live with if he did it himself. And Reigen couldn’t help but respect that.

Ritsu glared down at Reigen for a moment more before grabbing the man’s hand in one hard, unyielding fist, giving it a firm and vaguely painful shake. But the thing that hurt even more was that everything Ritsu said was the truth. And Reigen would never again kid himself into thinking that he could get anything past this pinnacle of brotherly protectiveness and bitterness.

Ritsu took a step back, and that was when Reigen also realized just how much the kid had been looming over him. He certainly wasn’t afraid to use his height to his advantage, was he? Ritsu didn’t seem afraid to do much of anything if it meant protecting what little he had left. Reigen found that he could respect that, too.

When Reigen didn’t speak back, or even move all that much, because he was still a bit frozen, Ritsu made a snorting sound and turned his broad, steel back to the man, stomping back to the office door.

At the cusp of the doorway, Ritsu stopped, tilted his head back towards Reigen, and whispered out a scathing, “ _Bastard_ ,” before continuing on his way out to join his brother, who was loitering in the outside office watching a spider weave its web in the corner.

Reigen’s joints finally unlocked themselves and he gives a massive and maybe slightly relieved sigh.

And then he grabs his hair in panic and horror because _what the hell was he doing_?! Had he even _been_ thinking? After all that talk of being a good person, _this_ is what he does? Bring two kids into the life that had made Reigen into the mess he was now? The thought of Mob being called on to do his duty as a military officer, of having to assign him missions in the middle of a _war-zone_ , of having to send a letter back to his next-of-kin---to _Ritsu_ \---

Nuh-uh. No way. Not going to happen, _ever_. Reigen thought everyone could agree that this entire thing had been a terrible idea and it was time for it to come to an end. Retract his recommendation, retract literally _everything_...

But even those thoughts screeched to a halt when Reigen’s gaze locked onto the new addition to his desk. A little cat figurine. Reigen clenched his jaw, picking up the trinket and holding it in the palm of his hand. He started chuckling, raising the same hand to cover his eyes and leaned against the corner of his desk. Now that the hysteria seemed to have passed, Reigen couldn’t believe that he had almost let himself be swayed. He _knew_ that there was risk in this, risk that he might not have the right to even offer to children, much less allow them to go through with. But they _couldn’t live_ the way they were now, Mob weighed down by automail and guilt and Ritsu hollow and yet so over-full at the same time. They needed this. And that was final.

Reigen gave one last look to the symbol in his palm before setting it back on the surface of his workspace, suddenly and randomly remembering that Ritsu had a figurine just like it hanging around a chain on the neck of his armor. Why did he feel like he had just joined a new club?


	6. The Difference Between Hope and Belief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up, it's been kind of busy, but, here it is! I hope you're ready for the Cornello Arc with some Mob Psycho flair, because I did change some things. This is only the first part, from the point of view of our favorite prickly cactus son, so please enjoy!

Shige was sleeping fitfully at his side, cheek squished against the window and automail arm twitching at random intervals. Ritsu’s nonexistent neck twinged in sympathy at the uncomfortable looking position, but he knew that attempting to move his brother would be a mistake.

It didn’t happen often, but when Shige’s night terrors got particularly bad, he would lash out at any contact. And while Shigeo couldn’t really hurt him, Ritsu’s metal body could hurt Shigeo. Ritsu had learned that lesson the hard way after the time, just shortly after his automail surgery, his brother had once scraped his hand raw trying to push the suit of armor away after Ritsu awakened him from a nightmare that he couldn’t quite escape the clutches of by just opening his eyes.

And sometimes, in that moment just after Shigeo’s brown eyes snap open, in the millisecond it takes for his pupils to dilate, Ritsu feels something in the air, _sees_ something in the air around his brother’s body, there and then gone again, like the heat mirages outside the train window radiating from the desert sand. But that was only when Shige had a nightmare so bad he stayed up for the rest of the night afterwards, talking alchemy theory with Ritsu in quiet, subdued tones and scribbling in his notebook, subsequently staying up for at least a few nights after until he eventually and inevitably crashed. Those events had only happened twice before, and Ritsu hoped it stayed that way, because nothing he had tried had gotten through to Shigeo at all, almost like his brother didn’t even want Ritsu’s help. And that scared Ritsu more than he would care to admit.

But for the normal kind of nightmare, like Ritsu was pretty sure it was now, he had an effective system in place. Usually just his voice was enough to wake Shigeo, but in the rare occurrence that didn’t work, he rattled his armor as loud as possible. That was always successful, though for what reason, Ritsu wasn’t exactly sure. But he he had a feeling it had something to do with what Shigeo was dreaming about.

So as the city of Lior drew nearer, Ritsu softly said, “Nii-san, wake up. We’re almost there,” To his relief, Shige’s eyes twitched, then opened, and he peeled his cheek off of the window to get a look at the city they were heading for.

“It’s pretty,” Shigeo said that with the sparkle he got in his eyes that you could only see if you looked for it, and Ritsu appreciated the fact that, even after two years, his older brother still loved to travel and see new places and people. It was nice to see that the life they lived now had its merits. It wasn’t all dead ends and crushed hopes.

“Yeah it is,” Ritsu paused a moment before continuing. “Do you think the rumors are true? About the priest. That he performs miracles and transmutes flowers out of thin air.”

“Well, I hope so,” Hoping is about all they seem to be doing lately. “But it could just be a sleight of hand… like a magic trick.” Shige was silent for a second, reaching into his coat and pulling out his little worn-out notebook, grabbing the pencil from within the leather binding. But he paused in his action to start writing, adding as a second thought, “I wish I could do magic.”

Ritsu made a snorting sound through the armor. “I dunno, Nii-san. Alchemists are probably the closest thing to actual magicians there are. You could probably perform in your own street show.” 

His brother had started scratching something onto a page in his notebook, not faltering in his smooth motions as he states, with utmost seriousness, “Yes. After I get your body back, of course.”

Ritsu had wondered before what exactly Shige did in that book of his, because there never seemed to be any certain time he got it out or anything in particular he wrote in it. But when he had asked, his brother had snapped the book shut and said, “ _oh, nothing important, Ritsu,_ ” and made an unusually abrupt exit, saying something about Tome needing to check on his bandages even though Ritsu knew those had been changed just that morning. And that was the only time Ritsu could remember his patient older brother ever shrugging off one of his questions, so he had made a point not to pry into it anymore. But Ritsu had to say that it would be nice to know.

Pointedly not looking at the object in his brother’s hands, Ritsu nodded, stating, “I think you would be the best magician in Amestris,” He let out a disgruntled huff. “Or, you know, at least the most authentic.”

Ritsu hadn’t really expected a response. When Shigeo got out that tiny, leather-bound notebook, he was usually lost to the world until he was finished with whatever he was doing. But his brother always found a way to surprise him, halting the dulled point of his pencil and shifting his eyes to the suit of armor faithfully at his side, taciturnly saying, “Well, it must be true, then, if you think so,” Then giving one of those tiny, knowing smiles reserved just for his little brother before going back to scribbling on his probably almost-full page.

Ritsu felt his shoulders relax and his fists uncurl from their seemingly everlasting tenseness. How was it that even with his absolute inability to read the air or get a clue, Shige still always knew exactly what to say? 

Ritsu only wished he could return the favor, because as the train slowly came to a stop at the station, he noticed the tiny shake in his brother’s hands as he tucked his book back into his jacket and the vaguest of tightness to his usual lax expression. Maybe Ritsu had underestimated the nightmare from earlier.

“C’mon, Nii-san,” Ritsu surreptitiously loomed a bit more, not afraid to use a glare where he had to as he made a path through the small crowd at the station. Not that the place was overflowing with people. Lior was a large city, but not all that much of a tourist stop, like Rush Valley. The citizens mostly stayed to their own. “We should find a place to rest for a while.”

Shige looked up ( _way_ up) at him and stated, “Don’t you want to look into the priest first?” He pointed up towards the center of the city, where a massive cathedral rose well above all the other buildings. If a religious leader were to be anywhere, it would be there. Ritsu glanced to the boy at his side. That subtle strain in his countenance still hadn’t been dispelled. And no matter how much Ritsu would rather investigate this lead as soon as possible, the best thing to do for his brother would be some distraction. And Shige came first. Always.

But his big brother probably wouldn’t understand if he tried to explain that to him, even though Ritsu hoped he would. He knew better than to trust in hopes. So instead Ritsu replied, “We should get some information from the locals first. See what they think of what their priest has been doing.”

“Mm. That’s a good idea. I don’t know how you think of this stuff,” They wandered over to a nearby food vender, Ritsu pointing out some interesting sights along the way ( _“Is that a fountain?” “That’s nothing we need to concern ourselves with, Nii-san.”_ ), and as Shige sat down, he already seemed more relaxed. Giving him time to be reminded that he was just a normal kid never failed to get his brother to de-stress a bit.

The tanned guy with a moustache manning the counter had a radio playing on an overhead shelf. “ _My children who live upon this land. Smile and laugh, for you have been blessed this day. With each tomorrow and yesterday, happiness will come to you if you allow it…_ ” 

“So, are you guys street performers or something?” The guy smiling at them from over the counter was rightfully curious about them. A huge dude in a suit of armor and a little kid who looked younger than his 14 years with gloves on in the middle of the desert was a bit of an anomaly. Still, Ritsu was a bit insulted that this random stranger was making assumptions. He hated assumptions.

But Shige didn’t seem offended, sipping his drink and offering a mild, “No, not yet. Do you think we look like street performers?” He seemed excited at the idea, though he probably wouldn’t look like it to most others. 

But Ritsu was his brother, and he could read the slightest tilt of Shigeo’s eyebrows and the tiniest way he inflected his voice like an alchemy textbook, looking between the lines and solving the equation within moments. And Shigeo could go from oblivious to surprisingly empathetic at the drop of a hat when it really mattered, learning over the years how to read Ritsu’s expressions and body language even through the layers of metal and walls between them. It was just how they worked, and they worked well.

The guy gave an uproarious laugh that seemed a bit over-the-top in Ritsu’s opinion. Though not everyone knew the difference between Shigeo serious and Shigeo actually trying to have a sense of humor. “Yeah, you do, actually! Who wears a suit of armor in the desert? Or a coat?”

“Well, we-”

“I assume you travelled here. Where did you come from?” Those _assumptions_ again, and the man hadn’t stopped _smiling_ the whole time, and he had interrupted _Shige’s_ sentence. Ritsu didn’t like this man very much.

“Well…” Shigeo paused, making sure that he wouldn’t be interrupted again. “We came from Central.”

Ritsu was pretty sure the man had been smiling for at least ten minutes straight. “Ah, yes, Central… how are things over there?”

This was starting to feel a bit too much like an interrogation and the guy was starting to creep Ritsu out with the way all his teeth were bared with a semblance more of an animal delivering a threat than a human expressing happiness. He decided it was about time they moved on. 

“We have to go,” It wasn’t the most delicate or subtle of approaches, and Shigeo was looking at him weird, but Ritsu was ready to leave. _Now_.

As he was standing though, his helmet hit the ledge above the little shop. The radio was knocked over and broke into a hundred pieces on the stone street.

“Hey, take it easy. I hope you can pay for that,” He was looking at Shigeo as he said it, and Ritsu could see the moment when his brother’s serene demeanor dissipated and a shaky nervousness take it’s place, like it usually did when people got the slightest bit frustrated with him. And just when Ritsu had got him to relax a bit.

Ritsu gave what he hoped came off as a withering glare. “It was an _accident_ , gramps. I can fix it,” Maybe a little alchemy would get the creepy dude to back off some. “Watch and learn.”

He took some chalk that he had stored and drew a simple transmutation circle around the broken remains of the radio. As long as he had all the fragments of the whole, it was just basic alchemy, easy as snapping his fingers for someone who had been studying it as long as the Kageyamas have. But it looked impressive, and that’s all that really mattered. Ritsu activated the array, and within moments, the radio looked good as new and was completely functional again, still babbling all that freaky religious nonsense.

“There, how’s _that_ ,” He returned his attention to the shop keeper and was pleased to see that his little demonstration had the desired effect.

“Amazing! It’s a miracle! You must been touched by the great Lord Dimple, his powers gifted to you!” 

Ritsu’s satisfaction dissipated a little. “Excuse me? Touched by who-now?” 

“Ah, sir, that wasn’t a miracle,” Shigeo stated, and Ritsu mentally agreed. Miracles didn’t exist. “That was alchemy.”

A random passerby joined in their conversation, for some reason. “Oh, so you two are alchemists. Right, I've heard of them.”

Shigeo perked up a little. “Then maybe you've heard of us. We're the Kageyama Brothers,” There were quite a few people joining in now, and Ritsu was reminded of why he had knocked over the radio in the first place as he saw that _every single one of them_ were smiling. Something wasn’t right here.

“The Kageyama Brothers, you say…” 

What was it?

“Wait… I do know that name.”

People were starting to crowd around Ritsu specifically now. “The Fullmetal Alchemist, Shigeo Kageyama is that right?”

Wait… Ritsu looked at _all_ the people in the city around him, walking the streets, in their homes, or in his little mob at his feet. They all had one thing in common.

“Wow… So you’re the young prodigy all those stories are about?”

They were all _way too happy_. That wasn’t a _horrible_ thing on it’s own, but it set Ritsu’s proverbial teeth on edge. And this place might have been pretty ritzy, but not _everyone’s_ life should be nice enough to encourage this much smiling. It could just be Ritsu being paranoid again, seeing something that wasn’t really there, but… 

He grabbed Shigeo by the arm and dragged him away without a word, completely ignoring anything and everyone else. It wasn’t worth it.

“Um… Ritsu? Are you okay?” Of course that was his brother’s first question. And while Ritsu would have hesitated in explaining his gut-feelings to Shige a few years ago, he knew better now. It only made the other boy worry more.

So once they were far enough away from the craziness they had left behind, Ritsu replied with, “Something was off. With all the people. They seemed too...too...” He didn’t really know how to explain it in a way his older brother would understand. “You know!”

“Hm. I don’t really know what you mean. They seemed nice…” Shige looked up at him. “But I trust you. We’ll keep an eye out.”

Ritsu sighed through the armor, conflicted. “We could stop again, if you want. To, you know, 'rest' a bit more.” He was a little guilty for ruining Shige’s fun. Despite his shy personality, Shigeo really did like to interact with new people. He just wasn’t very good at it.

But Shige just firmly shook his head and continued towards the temple in the center of the city where they had been heading. “If you don’t feel good talking to them, then you don’t have to,” His big brother looked him straight in the eyes and stated in that once-in-a-blue-moon _truly_ serious voice that he had, “You come first, Ritsu. Always.”

Ritsu’s gauntlets slowly uncurled from where he hadn’t realized they had fisted at his sides. “...Thanks, Nii-san.” Ritsu looked up at the sun and decided, _yeah… I guess it does feel good when your hopes are finally fulfilled_. He looked down to his brother. _And in the most unassuming of ways, too_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! Next time we introduce 'Rose', Lord Dimple is a jerk, and Mob starts to get a bit mad. See you later!


	7. As Long As It Makes You Happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mob and Ritsu continue to investigate Lord Dimple, along the way meeting the eccentric Ichi Mezato. Lord Dimple is a jerk. Mob gets a little mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is the longest chapter so far! We finally get to meet Dimple in the flesh, and he's just as much of a jerk as he was in canon. I tried to do Mezato's character justice and I hope you all like it! Enjoy!

“So, that’s it, huh? There’s not really much to think, Nii-san, there’s no doubt it’s alchemy.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.”

“... Can I see?”

“Just stand on your suitcase.”

“...”

An exasperated, but unmistakably fond huff followed the short silence. “... oh, fine.”

The view in the front of the crowd was much more interesting than the back of someone’s coat. There was a man on a platform, in front of the church, with the biggest smile Mob had ever seen, even in this unusually happy city. A little girl brought up a dead bird, and the man laughed before setting a hand over the thing’s tiny, green body, lightning flashing. The bird spread its wings and took to the air, amazed gasps and chuckles following it.

“Hm, you’re right. It’s alchemy, but he’s also ignoring the law of Equivalent Exchange,” Mob felt a little bit of hope rise in his chest. “Which can only mean…”

“The Philosopher’s Stone,” Ritsu sounded serious and sort of grim. “I see it. A ring on his left hand.” 

“Mm.”

There was a pause as the crowd dispersed, Lord Dimple retreating back through the doors of the cathedral with a highly exaggerated wave of his hand and his most trusted followers trailing along after him. Mob jumped the considerable height from Ritsu’s shoulder back down to the ground.

“Do you think it’s a fashion statement?”

“… what?”

“The circle things on his cheeks.”

“Uh, his name is ‘Dimple’, I guess, so…” Ritsu snorted and went on to grumble, “He probably just thinks it looks cool. He seems the type, all theatrical and stuff.”

“Yeah, it does.”

“Reminds me of the _Lieutenant_ Bastard.”

Mob sighed a bit, walking towards the church. “Really, Ritsu, I don’t know why you insist on calling him that, and you know he’s a Colonel now. He helps us a lot, he’s the reason we’re here.”

“Oh, please. He probably just sent us here to do something that’ll get him some more fame. He always does, the bastard.”

Mob just huffed a long, tired breath at the top of the ten million front stairs. Once Ritsu got going on Colonel Reigen, it was best to just let the rant run its course.

A considering noise came through the armor with a tinny echo. “Maybe he sent us because of this Dimple guy, and he just _happens_ to have a Philosopher’s Stone. The people here are kind of creepy. The creepy priest might have something to do with it.”

Mob put a hand to the cool stone of the inside wall of the church. It was just as big and beautiful on the inside as he thought it would be, with a trio of stained glass windows featuring Lord Dimple prominently and rows upon rows of pews facing the front, where a young girl was standing, organizing the altar.

Mob patted Ritsu’s arm with his automail hand, giving a small, reassuring smile. “Maybe he did. And that’s okay, because I’m in the military and he sent me here. It’s my job, you know.”  
Wondering to the front and leaving Ritsu to sulk in the back, Mob considered the girl, who was humming and smiling and looking very content in general, with really pretty, white teeth and dimples, and short, light brown hair.

Mob sat in the first pew and stayed awkwardly silent for a few moments. What did you say when you wanted to start a conversation with a stranger? Oh, right.

“Hello.”

She didn’t even jump, just turned around and clasped her hands, looking delighted, like she had just been waiting for him to say something. “Why, hello! You’re new here, yes, you are. I would remember someone like you.”

Mob blinked. “Like me?”

“Yes, exactly! You two aren’t exactly the type I usually see in Lior. It’s usually all about how ‘Helen stole my radio’ or ‘my husband’s been cheating on me’, it’s really gotten quite dull. Outsiders have much better stories.” She started and lightly hit her own forehead. “But I’m getting ahead of myself. My name is Ichi Mezato, what’s yours?”

He had never met anyone as straightforward and intimidating as Tome until this day. It would be remembered in history. “Er… you can call me Mob,” He heard Ritsu clank up behind him. “And this is Ritsu. We’re the Kageyama Brothers.”

Mob jumped as she sharply gasped, “Oh, yes, I’ve heard of you guys. The Fullmetal Alchemist, alchemical prodigy and the youngest state alchemist _ever_ , with his little brother, travelling the country, solving crime, known as the People’s Alchemist.”

Mizato went straight up to Ritsu, holding out a hand, “It is an honor to meet you, truly. You must have so many _stories_ \---”

Mob raised a hand halfway up. “Actually, I’m the---”

“---and let me tell you I am 100% willing to listen to anything you have to say---”

His arm went back down. “Oh, okay.”

Ritsu grabbed her hand, careful with his strength, but not necessarily gentle, not able to find a place to speak so _making_ one instead, Mezato’s sentence cutting off with a little squeak. “Hi. I’m not the Fullmetal Alchemist. He is.”

Mezato froze for a second, looking between the two brothers as if waiting to see if it was a joke. Then she threw her head back and laughed, quickly pulling her hand out of Ritsu’s grip and taking Mob’s instead. His right hand. Her ever-present motion paused for a moment as if in thought, squeezing a bit tighter before shaking it _very_ vigorously. “Yes, yes, of course, that’s what I meant. This, er, very large person must be your… younger brother?”

“...yes.”

She nodded and smiled even wider, as if this was the answer to all the world’s problems. “Alright. Okay,” Mezato withdrew her hand, and Mob flexed it, hoping she didn’t knock anything loose. “How about this… I help you with whatever you’re here for, because such an infamous state alchemist wouldn’t come here for nothing, and in return _you_ \---” She jabbed a finger at his chest. “Have to tell me your story. How did the famous child prodigy come to be in the military at age _ten_ \---”

“I was actually twelve…”

“--- _twelve_ with an automail arm, crazy alchemical knowledge, and---” She stared down into his face, and Mob couldn’t help feeling like she could see straight through his gloves and coat and apathy to see exactly what was underneath. It more than a little unnerving. She went on to say in a low, grave voice, “---such deep, dark shadows in his eyes, as if he’s seen things no one else has. Deal?”

Mob scratched his cheek. “Um, I don’t know if---”

“No way we’ll tell you that! It’s none of your damn business!” Ritsu always found a way to insert himself back into the conversation with such _astounding_ tact.

Mob made calming motions with his hands, pausing to think for a moment before saying, “Can we just tell you the story about what happened with the… Youswell Case? That’s a pretty fun story.”

Mezato made an odd, high-pitched sound and vibrated in place before doing an ecstatic little jump into the air, not seeming at all disappointed in their compromise or Ritsu’s outburst. “YES! That sounds wonderful. Oh, I’m so excited,” She took a deep, calming breath and cleared her throat. “Ho- _kay_ , so, what do you need? You can tell me the story after I fulfill my end of the bargain.”

Ritsu had settled down once again, sitting beside his brother on the pew, and he motioned Mob on, pouting a bit on the inside because they had--- _once again_ \---made a deal in return for something. Ritsu thought it would be easier to just do it themselves or---in extreme or violent situations---use force. But that made Mob more than a little uncomfortable, so the Ritsu Way didn’t really happen often.

“We just want to talk with your priest, Lord Dimple."

“Oh, that’s easy! Lord Dimple is very busy, but he is also very kind, he will surely see you if I take you to him. Are you looking to learn the ways of Lolism? I have to tell you, I highly recommend it. Just follow me!”

She motioned them to follow her, taking off down one of the side hallways. Mob didn’t hesitate to go along, Ritsu pausing only a moment before following.

Mezato led them down a long corridor, filling the silence with her chatter. “Lord Dimple may seem odd at first, I sure thought so, but once you talk with him… he has a way of making you see where you’ve gone wrong. After… something happened last year, I thought I wouldn’t be able to go on, but he saved me. He taught me the ways of Lolism, and told me that if I worked hard---and I have, let me tell you---he’ll help me make things right again. I don’t know why I had ever thought that he---”

She was cut off by the sound of a gun going off, the noise filling the narrow hallway for a short second. Ritsu stumbled a step forward before falling to the ground, his helmet following soon after with a couple of clangs against the hard, stone floor. Mob distantly heard Mezato scream in horror at what was supposedly a dead body, but he was too busy running after the man who had shot at them from the other end of the corridor. By the time the Fullmetal Alchemist got there, the man was gone. His fists tightened. He’d gotten a good enough look to recognize the black uniform and white smile mask of one of the most devoted of Lord Dimple’s followers.

A certain priest apparently didn’t want them there, or… you know, anywhere. Ritsu was right. The Colonel must of known that Dimple was hiding something, something big enough that he was willing to assassinate a state alchemist in broad daylight in front of a witness.

Mezato was still standing frozen in place, hands covering her mouth, and Mob idly wondered if she was still smiling underneath. It wouldn’t really surprise him all that much.  
“You---you’re… empty. There’s no one inside!” 

Ritsu slowly sat up, and Mob grabbed his head from the ground a few feet away, gently putting it back in place. The minute it was, Ritsu glanced sharply at her. “I told you before. It’s none of your business, what happened to us---our story, or whatever you want to call it. So just leave it,” He stormed off back down the hall the direction Mezato had been leading them before. There was quiet, for once, in Mezato’s presence, still frozen, but her hands had dropped from her face, and, sure enough, smile in place. Mob was almost jealous.

She swallowed hard, but she looked calm now, whispering, “Okay. You’re brother’s a suit of armor. You have a metal arm, and joined the military at twelve years old. Something happened to you two. Something big,” She was suddenly full of manic energy again, and Mob thought maybe he had just mistaken her awed excitement for frozen shock in the first place. Or she was just really brave. The girl pointed at him again and enthusiastically declared, “Just you wait, my friend, I’ll figure out what happened eventually. I _always_ get the story.”

Mezato stomped down ahead after Ritsu. Mob had to pause in his pursuit, simply whispering in wonder to the empty passageway, “...Friend?”

He hummed a bit, a slow, warm sort of delight rising in his chest, and ran to catch up with her and Ritsu, who had already turned the corner at the end of the hall. Mob kind of wished he would wait up. The unexpected move Lord Dimple made was not only rash, but also really stupid. It was likely that he was desperate, for some reason, and there was nothing more dangerous or unpredictable as someone who thought they had nothing to lose. But what secret was so important that someone would resort to _this_? 

“Um, Mezato?”

“Yes?”

“What’s he like? Lord Dimple, I mean.”

Her smile got wider and her hands clasped over her chest as if in prayer, her eyes getting a dreamy, far-off look to them. “Oh, I’m so glad you asked. He deserves to much praise after everything he’s done for this town. Believe it or not, this place wasn’t always so nice. It used to be just another backwater desert town,” The girl abruptly stopped, pivoting on the spot to turn and face Mob, pointing a finger in his face. His eyes crossed as he tried to look at it. “But then! One day, our Lord Dimple arrived, bringing with him laughter and joy, and brought Lior up from the bottom to the relatively glamorous city it is today.”

Mizato placed a hand on her hip and started walking again, dragging the other hand along the wall as they turned the corner. “In return for his kindness, all citizens of Lior thank him, and follow him in his chosen religion--- _Lolism_. And we---or at least me---have never been happier.”

Of course. Dimple helped their town, the town people worship him. This was all about personal gain. It usually was, it should have been obvious, but Mob had been a bit blindsided. Mezato, and the nice street vendor, and all the other inhabitants of Lior seemed to love their leader so much, it was hard to imagine that they were thoroughly manipulated. Maybe there was something more to this Lord Dimple than simply a selfish, charismatic priest. It wouldn’t be the first time an alchemist used their abilities to trick people.

“Well, you must be the Fullmetal Alchemist! Welcome to the home of my sacred order.”

Mezato positively glowed. “There he is now!” She peered into the room and snorted in amusement. “He’s talking to your ‘little’ brother,” And proceeded to skip into the room, announcing her presence with, “Lord Dimple!”

As he followed at a more sedate---and unexcited---pace, Mob told himself that he knew Ritsu could handle himself. Really. He always beat him in spars, had a mind like a steel-trap, was so, so, _so_ strong. But still, there was something about the infamous ‘Lord’ Dimple that Mob didn’t want anywhere near his little brother.

Maybe it was the way he smiled, large and splitting his face in two and crinkling the edges of the two pink circles on his cheeks, the way it didn’t seem real. The fact that this man, who was supposed to be preaching about being happy and smiling all the time, was _faking_. That’s what was setting Mob’s teeth on edge.

When Mezato springed past Ritsu---who was standing aloof, but already starting to get aggravated, near the center of the large, stone chamber, one foot forward as if in an aborted movement to lash-out---and was talking, sounding really glad to see him, the man didn’t even glance her way. And yet she was unperturbed. Was this regular behavior between them? Mob was pulled back into the conversation when she mentioned, “These people have come asking for you!” She suddenly showed some uncertainty, her smile seeming to unhinge on one side. The other stayed stubbornly tilted upward. “But… on the way here---”

“I suppose I should apologize for my disciples behavior. They must have been misguided,” He said this all in a hurry, addressing Ritsu still, and cutting Mezato off mid-sentence. She was bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet. Maybe the events of a few minutes ago were only just then catching up in her mind. Mob knew the feeling.

“Okay, let’s say that we believe that you weren’t the one who ordered that attack,” Ritsu sounded annoyed. No matter how much he acted like he didn’t care, Mob had a feeling he was kind of angry about how Mezato was being treated, too. Their mother had made sure to teach them how to be gentlemen, and Mob couldn’t remember much of those lessons, but Ritsu had probably been a natural. “What comes next?” 

“Are you here to learn the ways of Lolism?” He was trying to change the subject. Hurried, clumsy, a bit of nervousness cleverly veiled under a facade of confidence. Mob could only recognize it because he saw the same signs he saw when Ritsu was being questioned about his armor and was trying to draw away suspicion by completely derailing the conversation. So, this Lord Dimple _clearly_ had a lot of practice with lying, as much as Ritsu did. Which was a lot more than what really made Mob comfortable.

Mob’s voice somehow sounded more deadpan than usual when he stated, “No, thank you. We’re here to get your Philosopher’s Stone. The one on the ring on your left hand,” Dimple seemed surprised. It was, frankly, unimpressive, the fact that Dimple really thought that alchemists of Mob’s---of _Ritsu’s_ \---caliber wouldn’t notice the complete disregard for the basic law that the entirety of alchemy was centered around. They learned that when they were seven.

Dimple pointed at him, exclaiming, “When the hell did you get here!”

Oh, maybe that was why he looked surprised.

“Er, just a minute ago actually, with Mez---”

The man waved a hand, cutting Mob off with, “Nevermind that, why would you think that a simple ring could grant me such powers, hm?”

Ritsu spoke up from Mob’s left, “We just looked at the facts, _idiot_ ,” He spat out the last word like a curse, crossing his gauntlets in front of his chest to give him an even more towering appearance. “It’s not like you were hiding it or anything. My brother’s a State Alchemist, you know. And I just have an _inkling_ that you knew he was here.”

Mob was fascinated with how Dimple’s face could turn such an impossible shade of blazing red without bursting something. His impeccably straight, white teeth were standing out even more on his face, turning his eyes to Mob in what was probably disbelief. His smile actually wavered, the edges of his lips twitching like a muscle spasm. It looked almost painful.

On a roll, Ritsu plowed on, matter-of-factly stating with all the absolute boldness everyone knew him for, “You use second rate alchemy to deceive your followers into thinking that you are some kind of god, ignoring the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Any alchemist worth their chalk would know that you have something amplifying your alchemic ability. Like a Philosopher’s stone. That’s what we’re here for, not to get involved with your freaky, fake religion.”

“Ritsu…” Mob didn’t like this much more than his brother, but that seemed a bit aggressive. Mezato was right there, listening and fists slowly tightening, and she believed in Lolism with her entire heart. That was worth something, and they should respect it, at least, if not Lord Dimple’s… trustworthiness.

Ritsu made a huffing sound, but his arms fell from their position over his chestplate, standing down, but not backing down. It was Mob’s turn. He shifted his gaze from Dimple to Mezato. How to go about this… 

“We… aren’t really interested in anything like that. We came to Lior because of the rumors about you and your miracles, and we thought it was pretty neat. But---well, now that we know it’s a Philosopher’s Stone---”

“It’s just a ring!” Mob flinched back, surprised, along with Mezato, as Ritsu lurched a step forward in anger. For a moment, the man in front of them seemed to compose himself, taking a deep breath and effortlessly flowing back into the mask of a wise, collected priest that was set in his faith. It was an aura that was probably meant to be calming, but to Mob it was just a bit… unnerving. “It is by my own power that I perform miracles, and I am offended by the suggestion that it is by anything but.” 

Dimple seemed to be getting more and more agitated, all of his teeth still showing but the very corners of his mouth tipping downward. Maybe they were making him uncomfortable, calling him out like that, and Mob started to feel a bit bad. It’s not like the man was really hurting anyone with what he was doing.

But then Dimple went on to say, “Mezato, you need to do something for me,” Dimple’s smile transformed into something that wasn’t quite as fake as before. It was twisted into something mean and malicious and Mob was surprised with how… _much_ he felt about that, like he was burning from the inside out. Because, what right did this man have, to turn something so precious into something so… _not_? “Pick up the gun and shoot the Fullmetal Alchemist.”

 

~47%~ 

 

Mezato’s eyes widened. “What?! No, that’s… I can’t do that!” 

“Are you questioning your leader? Your _god_?”

“N-no! This---Lord Dimple, this doesn’t seem like something---”

“When you disobey me, you deny your faith. Don’t you wish to fix your mistakes? I gave you the chance for forgiveness and this is the thanks I get! I had expected more from you,” A dramatic pause, then going on to say, like it was some huge act of kindness, “But you can still redeem yourself if you listen to me now. _Shoot_ the Fullmetal Alchemist.” He pointed a finger at Mob this time, and he was quickly reminded of the fact that both Dimple and Mezato knew exactly who the actual Fullmetal Alchemist was, because Mob had been a bit too trusting and Ritsu wasn’t all that careful with his words at the best of times. As Mob considered their options, he wondered how the situation had escalated so _quickly_.

Mezato was considering the gun with glassy eyes, and the little smile she’d managed to keep during the argument had all but vanished, only a tiny quirk visible in the shadows of her lips.

Then she started to change before his eyes, getting shorter and slighter, her light brown hair darkening into a deep black and flowing up and back until it was a short bowl cut. And when the vision brought its head upward from its tilted position and Mob’s own dull eyes stared back at him, he was rocked with a realization.

“Yes, Lord Dimple.”

They were the same.

 

~51%~ 

 

Looking for a way to cheat death, to cheat _anything_ , to bring back someone they believed with every milligram of their being that they couldn’t live without, willing to do _anything_ to fill that empty space in their heart that made them feel so light that it wouldn’t take much to cut their tethers and float away. And as the girl reached down and took the gun from the cold stone floor to grip it in pale, shaking hands, Mob finally _understood_. If Ritsu was Mob’s tether, her faith in Lolism---in Lord Dimple---was Mezato’s. _That_ was what Mob had been missing this whole time.

 

~59%~ 

 

Ritsu was saying something, lowly, probably for Mob’s ears only, but his words seemed to stop and fade away to mist before he could hear them, but he felt his brother take a step closer to his side.

And watching as Mezato slowly bring the barrel up to aim at Mob’s heart, eyes still staring steadfastly at the ground---as much as he knew he should feel mad at her, or frustrated---the only emotion he could feel was fear. For Mezato. Because if Lolism was her tether, that gun was her human transmutation, and if she went through with it… well, Mob knew very well how that would turn out.

 

~66%~ 

 

“---ii-san? Nii-san!”

Mob darted forward and grabbed the gun in his automail hand, carefully tugging it down to point at the floor. She didn’t fight it, but her grip tightened. She was still wavering, one foot hanging over the edge and one still on solid ground. He could still save her, because he understood now. Understood _her_.

 

~67%~ 

 

He softly asked, “Can you really shoot me? If you want to, I won’t stop you,” Mob brought the gun back up to point at his head, instead of his heart, holding it there for a second before dropping his hand back to his side. The gun dipped shortly as she took on its weight. “But it’s rude not to make eye contact when you kill someone.”

Everyone in the room looked at him like he was a psychopath, Dimple standing completely frozen on his platform, for once not saying anything in response, which was good. All Ritsu did was stand tense and ready and exasperated in case something went wrong. Mob had pulled stunts like this too many times for his little brother to be all that surprised anymore. 

Mezato was staring at him unabashedly, eyes wide and flitting from the floor to look down into his face. “Wh-what are you…?”

Dimple shook his head once---shaking away his shock along with it---sharply, as if he was a dog with a bone. “Hey! What are you waiting for? Kill him!” There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and his mouth was still twitching, and he was probably grasping at straws, but he still went on, enticing, “I-if you do this, I will personally see to it that your transgressions are forgiven in full by the end of the day.”

Mezato glanced up at her lord in awe, and when she turned back to him with a flip of her hair, her face glowed with hope, Mob knew that she was convinced that she had to do this. Then, her jaw clenched, the liquid in her eyes hardening to crystal in her resolve and her voice firm as she stated, “For Lord Dimple,” She swallowed before quietly whispering, “I’m sorry.”  
Her finger tightened around the trigger, but she still didn’t shoot, couldn’t _make_ herself shoot.

He waited a few seconds before smiling a little, encouraging, “It’s okay, you can do it, I get it. As long as it makes you happy.” 

Mezato’s hands were shaking again. She looked like she was about to cry---and Mob had never felt like a worse human being---but she still went on to say in a cracking voice, “It---it does. It _does_.”

Mob cocked his head to the side. “Really? You don’t look happy to me,” He reached out with his flesh hand, and she flinched back, but he simply poked her cheek, saying sadly, “...you’re not smiling anymore.”

Time seemed to slow as the gun finally fell from limp fingers and dropped to the floor, Mezato following soon after, burying her face into her palms. “You’re---you’re right. You’re… right. I’m not happy. I’m _not happy_.”

He gazed down at her for a few seconds, and her figure changed once again into Mob, but it was him after. After the human transmutation. Missing an arm and a leg and so, so much more. This vision lasted only as long as it took Ritsu to join him at his side again, which wasn’t very long at all, but it was enough.

As Mob turned back to Lord Dimple---who was still not making a move to _do it himself_ instead of sending an innocent girl to do it for him---he could hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears, his flesh hand shaking, everything so hot, like it was on fire, inside and out.

Mob had forgotten how much this feeling _hurt_.

 

~82%~


	8. Walk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ritsu and Mezato have a talk that they both kind of needed and Mob is off to confront Lord Dimple, which is unlikely to end well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey, I'm back! Thank you for all the kind comments, they really inspire me to keep going! Sorry for the long wait, but here's the new chapter, hope you like it!

Ritsu never tried to think too long or too hard about it, but ever since that night in the basement, his big brother had been different. That was obvious, of course. Everyone had changed. 

Tsubomi was quieter and more reserved, careful with every move she made and every word she spoke, because of the unsurety she had of how to treat the new versions of the childhood friends she used to know so well. 

Tome moved through her days in a storm of activity and sound, wanting nothing more than to be useful and fill the dreadful silence that seemed to engulf the atmosphere within the four too-small walls of Rockbell Automail.

And Ritsu himself, he was…closed off. He was self aware enough to acknowledge that much. He chose his words, not with care, but with caution. He spoke with _wariness_. A sentence was thought over once, then again, before was said. He made no mistakes. Slip-ups were unacceptable. And all of this was because Ritsu had witnessed and experienced first-hand how even a brief lapse in judgment could cause a chain reaction that led to destruction.

With Shigeo, it was different. Because, after the incident, he acted pretty much the same as before. He was still deadpan and blunt and kind. He was still hopelessly oblivious and hopelessly spacey and hopelessly charitable to everyone he meets. It was as if nothing had ever gone wrong. 

Or it would be, if it wasn’t for the _suppression_. Shige wasn’t closed off like Ritsu was--still throwing the hard truth around like it was nothing more than the daily weather--but it was more like he was stifled, everything that involved emoting ruthlessly quashed behind walls so tall that not even Ritsu could entirely see what was beyond them.

That scared Ritsu plenty already--he had read up on his symptoms when Shige was recovering after his automail surgery, and the books cited things like _‘depression’_ and _‘post traumatic stress disorder’_ , and, after seeing the way his brother’s eyes gazed through everything, Ritsu decided to memorize all the treatments for both. 

But, the one thing that terrified him even more than the repression and the wall building was when the walls started _cracking_. 

He’d only ever seen it once, back when Shige was smaller and younger, his automail ports fresh and newly installed and the metal limbs themselves on standby until his body accepted (or rejected) the new additions. 

After witnessing the aftermath of that… _explosion_ , for lack of a better word, Ritsu thought he wouldn’t have to worry about it happening again, especially after so long without an incident; years. He’d been naive.

“...What was that?”

Ritsu looked up from the silver he had just transmuted. It was the first time Mezato had spoken since they had escaped from the cathedral. She had been practically catatonic before then, with wide eyes and a blank expression that reminded him too much of his brother. Ritsu’d had to carry her the whole way to the bell-tower; his plan had required the tallest point in town and Shige had wanted Mezato to be safe and away from the real action. So here they were, and she had been sitting in the corner of the balcony with her knees to her chest the whole time so far.

Ritsu settled back to give her his full attention. He knew what she was talking about. “What was what?”

But did _she_ know what she was talking about?

She glared daggers. “You know _what_. The thing your _freak_ brother was doing. It looked like Lord Dimple’s miracles or your alchemy, but it wasn’t! It was something separate from _both_.”

Ritsu was tempted to glare right back. She had no right to call _his_ brother a freak, and there was no such thing as ‘Lord Dimple’s miracles’; he thought she knew that by now. But…she wasn’t exactly wrong, either. About what Shige did being different from everything else. “It was just alchemy, Mezato. Nothing more.”

The girl gave him an oddly calculating look, as if she was trying to get a read on him. With his face being an immovable mask, it was unlikely she would find what she was searching for. That was one of the six upsides to being a suit of armor. And one of the downsides. Ritsu didn’t really try to think too hard on that. 

He pulled up the bell and pointed the open side out to the city, planting a metal boot up to kneel against the rail. If everything went right, his tinkering within the silver would tune into ‘Lord’ Dimple’s radio frequency and amplify the sound to make _sure_ everyone heard just how much of a fraud their little priest was, since there wasn’t a guarantee that all the citizens would have their radios on after the scheduled broadcast for the day was already finished.

“Hey!” Mezato was suddenly uncurled from her ball in the corner and at Ritsu’s side instead, pounding twice on his shoulder plate; he didn’t budge, obviously, but he also couldn’t really help feeling oddly, vaguely stung. That hurt quickly faded to annoyance, though. 

The girl was now leaning sideways into the railings, trying to make eye contact. “I think we both know that’s a lie. That…it wasn’t alchemy, right? You guys both go on and on about--what did you call it?--uh, equal exchange! He didn’t do that! And he didn’t use one of those circle things.”

Ritsu stayed silent. Shige could start his part of the mission at any time; Ritsu had to be ready. Mezato took that as her cue to go on.

“I still don’t buy that Lord Dimple is a complete fake. I…I can accept that he might go to some certain lengths to spread his word, but his miracles are true,” Mezato’s eyes were hard and flinty with conviction, and Ritsu wondered how exactly Dimple managed to gain such steadfast loyalty out of a person who seemed so flighty and impulsive. “But I’ve witnessed his works with my own eyes, and, every time, his hands are engulfed with this strange, blue lightning.”

“All alchemy does that,” Ritsu finally said.

“Okay, yes, but what I saw Shigeo do didn’t have that! It had this weird aura, almost colorful and shifty like--like water! And his hair was moving around with something like a breeze, even though we were in an enclosed building! That-- _he_ , your brother--is not natural,” Ritsu thought she sounded like she was writing a newspaper article, but Mezato looked very, very confused, as if she didn’t really understand what she was talking about. “But it’s not really supernatural, either? It’s just…”

“It’s just what it is,” Ritsu finished. “And we don’t really _know_ what it is, Mezato. What you saw wasn’t even the fullest extent of what can happen.”

That was definitely true. Ritsu could tell that Shige was close, but he wasn’t quite…bursting yet. There had only been a faint residue of that color he would get outlining his body, and his black strands of hair were ruffling, but not hovering or floating.   
Ritsu had learned after just once to recognize the signs.

He moves on quickly. “And it just started happening, all of a sudden, after I got stuck in this body, and after Nii-san lost his arm and leg.”

Ritsu didn’t completely understand why he was telling her this. Maybe it was just to get her to stop bothering him, or maybe it was because she was actually interested in something beyond his misplaced soul and Shige’s metal limbs; something beyond the completely obvious. 

But he kept going. 

“We think it has something to do with equivalent exchange. That his price was even steeper than we originally thought--steeper than a leg. Or maybe that the cost to bind my soul was greater than an arm. And we think that…” Ritsu paused. “ _I_ think that the exchange for his transmutations when he--when he ‘hits his limit’ comes from somewhere _else_. I don’t really know where, but…it takes something out of him, every time this happens.”

He stopped again and wanted to hit himself. That was more than he meant to say, and Ritsu’s voice had started cracking, and, at some point, his emotions had somehow spiraled out of his control. That hadn’t happened in so long. Even longer than Shige had gone without an incident.

Then Mezato finally spoke again. 

“And all of this because you two decided to ‘play god’,” She said, and it was not phrased like a question. 

Ritsu wished he could deny it, but he couldn’t; she was completely right. And that’s what Shige had told her, before he had gone to confront and expose Dimple.

_They’d had to fight their way out, and Ritsu’s brother didn’t stop for anything, carving a path through the stone halls with the blunt end of his wooden, gold-tipped staff and his bright, vibrant flashes of not-quite alchemy. Ritsu just stayed out of his way, shielding Mezato in his arms. Dimple had not been hesitant to shoot through one of his followers to get to them._

_There was nothing right about that guy. He needed to go down._

_‘Nii-san,’ Ritsu said once they were down the grand church steps and streets away from . Shige turned half-closed eyes to him, and Ritsu resisted the urge to stutter, instead softly saying, ‘Nii-san, I have a plan.’_

_Ritsu took the time to explain it, and his brother showed no reaction until he nodded, at the very end, and turned away, stating, ‘Okay, Ritsu. We’ll do that. I shouldn’t be long, so please take Miss Mezato and complete your part. I’ll meet you at the clock tower when we’re done.”_

_He turned to walk out of the alleyway they had hidden themselves in, and Ritsu nodded to his brother’s black-clad back._

_‘Wait!’ Mezato suddenly reached out and grabbed Shigeo’s arm, ignoring the very faint shimmer of a colorful aura, an aura Ritsu knew would only get brighter. Shige turned to her, expression even blanker than usual. ‘What did you do! Why--how is this--your arm and leg and your brother and--”_

_Shige put up a metal arm, exposed through his ripped, red coat, and held it up between their faces, cutting off Mezato’s almost hysterical babbling. ‘Oh, this?_ This is what happens when you play god. _’_

Ritsu sighed and turned his head to look up at the clear, sunny desert sky. The broadcast still hadn’t started yet, and while Ritsu wouldn’t usually worry--Shige tended to go off-script, and when that happened, he also tended to get the job done better than if he had followed the plan--Ritsu also knew that his brother wasn’t in his normal state of mind. Maybe he shouldn’t have even let Shige go off on his own.

Mezato didn’t speak for a few minutes. She was biting her bottom lip, and her eyes were squinted with an emotion Ritsu couldn’t quite identify. He knew she was overwhelmed, though, and maybe even a little tired.

He couldn’t really blame her. Ritsu turned back out to look at the cathedral. _Any minute now, Nii-san._

“Uh, I first went to Lord Dimple when I heard about what he could do. You know, the miracles,” Mezato said quietly, but her voice clearly piercing the air in the silence of the somber atmosphere between them. “I had…I’d wanted to prove him _wrong_ , initially. I didn’t buy it, but I was desperate enough to try.”

Ritsu slowly turned his head back to her. Her eyes were hidden by short, fair bangs, her fists clenched from between crossed arms. She was facing out to the city; to the church. “I had done something I couldn’t undo, and I wanted an out. He’d said I just had to wait and be faithful and my wish would be granted. But, in the end…I think I get it. Why you did what you did. You didn’t think you had any other choice.”

Mezato turned fully to meet his eye lights. Her fists weren’t closed anymore; if anything, she seemed overly calm, as if she was ready to confront anything if she felt she absolutely had to. Ritsu couldn’t help but respect that.

She took a deep breath. “I have to ask you…when your wish wasn’t granted and you ended up worse off than you started out: what did you do then? You’re here now, and you're chasing after something that will get you what you want, but… _how_?”

Ritsu finally set the bell down on the ground beside him. He turned his eyes back out at the sprawling city of Liore; the staggered buildings and winding, cobbled roads and tiny-looking people going about their day. He gazed a bit further and saw the sands of the desert dotted with cacti, glaring with the pounding sun, and shadowed with frequent little bumps and hills. He looked further and could only see the blue, blue sky, stretching and boundless and only temporarily cut-off with the narrow band of the horizon.

He looked at all this and decided, right then and there, that he would travel across and through and over all of it and further if it meant he could save his big brother.

Ritsu finally turned back to Mezato.

“We walked. We kept moving forward. The moment we stop is the moment Nii-san lives the rest of his life with metal weights attached to his joints and I live forever with an unfeeling body. And that is unacceptable,” He looks directly into her wide, dark brown eyes. “So where’s _your_ line? At what point will you stop accepting it and start to find your own solution to the problem you have?”

Ritsu tilted his head up and all he could see was blue, a wisp of white, and a simple obstacle he would undoubtedly conquer if he ever felt that he really needed to. His mind conjured up an image of Shige, the way he walked with a clank in every other one of his steps, the way he covered his hands behind white gloves and always leaned slightly to his right. 

Less than whole. But still moving.

“You’ve got two good legs, Mezato. I suggest you use them.”

Ritsu glanced back at her and Mezato seemed frozen on her feet, her eyes looking through him instead of at him, and Ritsu knew she was thinking about what he said. He wondered if she had really gotten it. 

Ritsu hoped so. It would save her a lot of the heartache that he and Shige had gone through learning that exact lesson; the sensation of wandering, the subconscious drifting, the feeling of being lost even when you can locate yourself on three different maps in three different languages. It would save her from becoming a ghost without truly dying. And there was nothing worse than that.

Eventually, Mezato slowly blinked and turned away, smiling. Ritsu was pretty sure he would, too, if he could.

They were both quiet for a while. A warm wind flitted through the air, something he only knew was there because of the ruffling of Mezato’s hair and clothes and the sound of the breeze whistling through the grooves of his armor. Ritsu heard a bird tweet out a few notes of a song overhead.

Ritsu’s arms were hanging at his sides, for once, instead of crossed over his chest. Mezato slanted forward, leaning her arms against the railing and closing her eyes.

There was still a little space between she and him, but they were side-by-side, and Ritsu could feel a sort of silent understanding between them now. And it wasn’t actually all that bad. It was almost relaxing. Calm.

Then a shock wave sent him and Mezato careening back into the wall of the clock tower, sudden vibrations in the air rattling the plates of Ritsu’s armor as the cathedral on the other side of the city imploded in upon itself.


End file.
